United Debuts New Plant-Based Menu Items from Impossible Foods

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Jun 15, 2022, 13:00 ET

As part of new collaboration, the Impossible™ Meatball Bowl now available exclusively to United customers on select U.S. flights and Impossible Sausage™ Made From Plants in select Polaris^® lounges

New menu items are the latest example of United's commitment to adding more vegan and vegetarian options to its culinary line-up amidst growing demand for plant-based meat alternatives

CHICAGO, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines is today adding two new Impossible Foods menu items on select flights and in certain airport lounges, as part of the carrier's new push to add more plant-based options to its food offerings.

As part of a new collaboration between United and Impossible Foods, the United-exclusive Impossible™ Meatball Bowl is now available to first class customers on all domestic flights more than 800 miles in the continental U.S. The Impossible™ Sausage is available in Polaris^® lounges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark and San Francisco.

Impossible Meatball Bowl, available exclusively to United Airlines customers

The collaboration comes as more than half of U.S. consumers are increasing their plant-based food consumption and sales of plant-based meat continue to climb, according to a recent Nielsen report¹.

"We want our food offerings to evolve and change along with people's preferences – we're proud to work with Impossible Foods and think our customers are really going to love these new options," said Aaron McMillan, United Managing Director of Hospitality and Planning. "To many travelers, the quality of food choices at the airport and in the sky are a really important part of the customer experience, so we're invested in making sure our menu items exceed their expectations. This is the first of many updates we look forward to sharing in the months ahead."

The Impossible Meatball Bowl features three Impossible Meatballs™ Made From Plants and broccolini served on a bed of couscous and topped with an herb-infused tomato sauce. Impossible Meatballs are made with a custom mix of Impossible Beef™ Made From Plants and Impossible Sausage, seasoned with a savory homestyle spice blend. Additionally, during breakfast at Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, Newark and San Francisco Polaris lounges, United will offer ground Impossible Sausage as an optional omelet ingredient and Impossible Sausage breakfast patties in the buffet.

"United is all about offering the highest quality customer experience, which is something we have in common here at Impossible Foods," said Dan Greene, Senior Vice President of Sales at Impossible Foods. "It's exciting to see the airline bring new options to consumers that are better tasting and better for the planet. We think United flyers are going to love having access to Impossible dishes in the air and in the lounge."

Impossible Foods is on a mission to create delicious, nutritious meat made from plants with a far lower environmental impact compared to meat made from animals. Impossible products are designed to look, cook and taste like animal meat, delivering the crave worthy benefits of meat without many of the negative qualities. Both Impossible Meatballs and Impossible Sausage are a good source of protein and other essential nutrients, while containing 0 mg cholesterol and trans fat, and no animal hormones or antibiotics. Furthermore, they require a fraction of the land use, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing their animal meat counterparts, according to preliminary lifecycle analyses.

Starting this week, customers in eligible markets can pre-order the Impossible Meatball Bowl through United.com or the United mobile app. For more information on United culinary offerings, visit United.com.

¹Nielsen, "Growing demand for plant-based proteins," (September 2021)

About United

United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines